Explanation: In the Byzantine Empire, there were sports riots, just like in the modern day - with the sport of choice being chariot racing!
However, being a fan of one the four teams also functioned as crude political parties, since the autocratic and bureaucratic structure of the Byzantine Empire forbade independent political organizations. You can’t, after all, stop people from saying “I’m a fan of a sports team,” yet it becomes very easily a proxy for other opinions as well. For that reason, the fans could become… quite involved in the affairs of the city beyond petty hooliganism and vandalism.
Nothing ever changes in Constantinople/Istanbul. The longer you live, the more you realize that the only things that truly exist in this city are merely riots, unrest and cats.
Explanation: In the Byzantine Empire, there were sports riots, just like in the modern day - with the sport of choice being chariot racing!
However, being a fan of one the four teams also functioned as crude political parties, since the autocratic and bureaucratic structure of the Byzantine Empire forbade independent political organizations. You can’t, after all, stop people from saying “I’m a fan of a sports team,” yet it becomes very easily a proxy for other opinions as well. For that reason, the fans could become… quite involved in the affairs of the city beyond petty hooliganism and vandalism.
HOW DARE YOU NOT UNCONDITIONALLY RECOGNISE THAT BLUE TEAM IS SUPERIOR
GREENS FOREVER
See also : Real Madrid V Barcelona, Rangers V Celtic etc etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_hooliganism#Turkey
Nothing ever changes in Constantinople/Istanbul. The longer you live, the more you realize that the only things that truly exist in this city are merely riots, unrest and cats.
The ideal Platonic form of a city?
The hippodrome was also one of the few places where the common folk and the emperor met, so the parties could voice their concerns directly.